Which topic carries the most marks in the QCE Study of Religion external exam?

Human existence and rights carries 94.2% of the marks across the 5 QCAA papers from 2021 to 2025, ahead of Social ethics on 5.8%.

How are marks split between question types in the QCE Study of Religion exam?

Short answer carries 100.0% of the marks, measured across 5 papers and 295 marks from 2021 to 2025.

Has the topic balance changed in recent QCE Study of Religion papers?

No. Comparing the 2021 to 2022 papers with the 2024 to 2025 papers, the largest movement in any topic's share was 0.0 percentage points, which is too small to plan revision around.

How many past papers is this QCE Study of Religion analysis based on?

5 QCAA external papers from 2021 to 2025, covering 27 questions and 295 marks. 0.0% of those marks carry no dot-point mapping and sit outside the percentages.

QCE Study of Religion most tested topics

Across the five QCAA Study of Religion external papers from 2021 to 2025, Human existence and rights carries 94.2% of the marks against 5.8% for Social ethics, so the paper rewards Human existence and rights more than any other topic. At dot-point level 4.2.4 carries 29.1% of paper marks, and nine of the 16 dot points that the board assesses externally have not appeared in one of these papers. Every percentage below covers the 100.0% of marks that map to a syllabus dot point.

Computed from 5 QCAA Study of Religion external papers, 2021 to 2025: 27 questions, 36 question parts and 295 marks.

Unit, topic and dot-point shares below are of the 295 marks that map to a dot point, so each of those tables adds to 100%. 32 of the 36 parts are assessed against more than one dot point, and their 276 marks are divided evenly between the dot points they cover.

What these papers are

Year	Exam	Questions	Marks
2025	Exam	5	58
2024	Exam	5	60
2023	Exam	5	60
2022	Exam	6	58
2021	Exam	6	59

Marks by unit

Unit	Share of marks
Unit 4: Religion — rights and relationships	94.2%
Unit 3: Religious ethics	5.8%

Marks by topic

Topic	Share of marks	Papers it appears in	Years
Human existence and rights	94.2%	5 of 5	5 of 5
Social ethics	5.8%	1 of 5	1 of 5

Marks by dot point

Dot-point numbers and wording are QCAA's own. Where a dot point is written as a list, its items run together here separated by semicolons.

Dot point	Content	Topic	Share of marks	Papers
4.2.4	Communicate to suit purpose by choosing language and developing ideas suitable for purpose; applying language conventions; identifying sources, e.g. Source 1, Source 3	Human existence and rights	29.1%	5 of 5
4.2.1	Explain features and expressions of religious traditions relating to the nature and purpose of human existence by identifying the distinguishing features of each religious tradition and their teachings about the nature of humanity in; Judaism (Revelation; sin, repentance, free will; Divine and human justice; sanctity of life); Christianity (Revelation, Incarnation, Resurrection, free will, Salvation, human dignity); Islam (revelation to the Prophet, predestination and the Greater Jihad); Hinduism (karma, samsara, moksha, reincarnation); Buddhism (rebirth, karma, dharma, samsara and nirvana); describing the concepts of rights, religious rights and human rights and how these are framed by religious teachings, relate to the nature and purpose of human existence and aim to address ultimate questions, including; Judaism and Christianity (sacredness of human life); Islam (submission to the will of Allah); Hinduism (karmic consequences); Buddhism (karmic consequences); explaining the ways in which religious traditions inform understandings of human rights, including their features and expressions by; showing ways different religious traditions acknowledge and promote the notion of being human; the beliefs identified in sacred texts; key principles in Judaism (in God’s image-B’tselem Elohim; Covenant, chesed, tikkun olam, pikuach nefesh, tzedakah); Christianity (Sanctity of life, Imago Dei, Judgment, grace, forgiveness); Islam (Adalat — Divine justice [Shi’a], Yawm ad-Din — Day of Judgment, Five Pillars, Sharia); Hinduism (atman, dharma); and Buddhism (anatta, five aggregates, Four Noble Truths, Five Precepts)	Human existence and rights	28.3%	5 of 5
4.2.2	Analyse perspectives about the nature of humanity, rights and ultimate questions and their alignment with religious traditions by selecting and using relevant information from human rights documents, e.g; Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948); Cairo declaration on human rights in Islam (1990); identifying distinct beliefs in religions through the ways human life is viewed, including; linear world view (Judaism, Christianity and Islam); cyclical world view (Buddhism and Hinduism); responses to ultimate questions, e.g. the purpose of life, the role of a deity; explaining viewpoints, considering the relationships between religious traditions and organisations that support and promote human rights and strive for social justice, e.g; B’nai B’rith, Stand Up (Judaism); World Vision, Mission Australia, Wesley Mission, Caritas (Christianity); Australian Muslim Women’s Centre for Human Rights, Islamic Relief Australia (Islam); Hindus for Human Rights, Australian Hindu Humanitarian Fund (Hinduism); Bodhi Australia, Buddhist Global Relief (Buddhism)	Human existence and rights	24.3%	5 of 5
4.2.3	Evaluate the significance and influence of religion and the extent to which it has an influence on responses to ultimate questions and human rights issues, e.g. poverty, homelessness, human trafficking, genocide, destiny, responsibility to self and community, by synthesising religious ideas about the role of religion in addressing ultimate questions and responding to social justice and human rights issues; making judgments and drawing conclusions about the significance of religion for individuals, groups and society when addressing ultimate questions and responding to social justice and human rights issues; justifying judgments about the influence of religion, with reasoning and evidence	Human existence and rights	12.6%	4 of 5
3.1.2	Analyse perspectives about religious expressions that form and inform responses to issues or situations by selecting and using information from sacred texts and other authoritative sources; explaining distinct beliefs and practices within and across traditions, their characteristics, similarities and differences in their approach to social–ethical issues; examining the viewpoints evident in religious expressions and the influences of religious ethics on individuals, groups and society in response to one of the following social–ethical issues; asylum seekers; capital punishment; employment and work; environment; animal testing; refugees; slavery; privacy; food security; war	Social ethics	1.9%	1 of 5
3.1.3	Evaluate the significance and influence of religion on social–ethical issues by synthesising religious ideas and positions regarding social–ethical issues; making judgments and drawing conclusions about the significance of religion and its influence on individuals, groups and society when responding to social–ethical issues; justifying judgments about responses to social–ethical issues with reasoning and evidence from sacred texts and authoritative sources	Social ethics	1.9%	1 of 5
3.1.4	Communicate to suit purpose by choosing language and developing ideas suitable for purpose; applying language conventions; identifying sources, e.g. Source 1, Source 3	Social ethics	1.9%	1 of 5

These seven dot points are every dot point these 5 papers have assessed and carry 100.0% of the paper marks, and 9 of the 16 externally assessable dot points have not been assessed in any of them. Content that has not appeared is still examinable.

What has moved between papers

No topic's share moved by more than 3.0 percentage points between the 2021 to 2022 papers and the 2024 to 2025 papers. The largest movement was 0.0 points, which is inside the range two papers a year produce by chance, so nothing here is a trend to revise around.

How the papers are built

Short answer carries 100.0% of the marks across these 5 papers.

Question type	Share of marks	Marks	Parts
Short answer	100.0%	295	36

Verb	Share of marks	Marks	Parts
analyse	40.3%	119	9
justify	35.3%	104	7
evaluate	22.7%	67	4
differentiate	20.0%	59	6
explain	20.0%	59	11
describe	7.8%	23	7
examine	7.5%	22	2
identify	6.4%	19	2

What these percentages do not tell you

Where to practise

Every topic above links to its own page of real QCAA questions with marking criteria and average scores attached: Human existence and rights and Social ethics. For the full question bank start at QCE Study of Religion.

Syllabus and assessment material referenced in this guide is © State of Queensland (Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority), licensed under CC BY 4.0. See our QCAA licensing notice. AusGrader is an independent study tool and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by the QCAA.